43% of Staff Cut at Deseret News

The Score So Far: Two-thirds of the photo staff have been laid off.
From multiple sources, photographers still on staff are:
Mike Terry, Jeff Allred, Scott Winterton, Laura Seitz (who continues her part-time status). Brian Nicholson is still on with El Observador de Utah

Some photogs will be kept through a transition phase (working until October or the end of December).

Photo editor August Miller has been laid off.

Apparently all photo techs have been laid off.

Some staffers were immediately let go and had their gear, cameras and phones taken before being escorted from the building. Clarification: Some equipment was turned in by employees departing immediately, other equipment was allowed to be kept until personal data could be transfered. Multiple sources report the presence of security throughout the building during the individual meetings where employees learned their fates, a common practice in similar corporate situations.

If you can correct any of this information or fill in the blanks, e-mail utahphotojournalism@gmail.com.

Joseph A. Cannon announced Tuesday that, after three years as editor of the Deseret News, he will step down to pursue other opportunities. He will, however, remain vital to the organization as a member of the newspaper’s editorial advisory board.

“The Deseret News is building a future for long-term success, and I am honored to have been a part of that process,” Cannon said. “This newspaper will have increasing relevance in the lives of our growing number of readers through media innovation, and I look forward to being part of its expanding voice through my role on the editorial advisory board.”

Deseret News publisher Jim Wall announced Tuesday he has chosen to step down and pursue other full-time personal and professional opportunities. He will remain with the newspaper during a transition to help the organization move to a new business model.

Massive layoffs and a change in direction at the Deseret News should have little immediate impact on its business partner and news coverage rival The Salt Lake Tribune, the Tribune’s editor and publisher said Tuesday.

The Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune have a joint business operation for advertising, printing and distribution of the newspapers but have competed for more than a century on news coverage.

Deseret News executives execute a mugging, Tijuana-style, on their employees.

In Tijuana at the age of 20, two guys mugged me. In short, I went into a liquor store and bought a bottle of rum. A guy was waiting out of sight, just outside of the door, and when I came out and turned down the sidewalk, he kicked me in the balls. I doubled over, and his friend grabbed my George Costanza-like wallet from my back pocket. They got my $12 in cash and my ID, I kept the rum.

Today, at the Deseret News, executives of Utah’s oldest-daily newspaper did the exact same thing to their employees. They kicked them in the nuts, stole their purpose and livelihood, and sent them down the road. I brushed my mugging off as part of the adventure, since I lost nothing more than my dignity. The Deseret News executives took the same approach, basically telling the 43 percent of their staff that has been fired that the layoffs are just part of a grand adventure to greater things.

If the Deseret News’ future is online, the paper just learned a big lesson: Don’t rely on Twitter for conversation.
The paper’s CEO, Clark Gilbert, just finished a 30-minute Q&A session which had a lot more Q than A about today’s layoffs at the Deseret News and the future of Utah’s second-largest newspaper.

I’m assuming by now you’ve read all the rumors about what will be happening to the Deseret News. Now it’s time to hear the truth.

There is no sugar-coating the bad news. Like a lot of other newspapers in America, this one has to cut costs, and that means cutting people; real people with bills to pay and families to feed; people I’ve grown to love and respect through many years (I’ve been here since 1986).

The problem isn’t a lack of readership. Far from it — print circulation is holding steady and on-line circulation is booming. Readership grew by 20 percent in 2009, the best of any paper in the country.

No, the problem is the Internet has sapped ad sales. It has put a big dent in the business model that has sustained newspapers for more than two centuries, and that’s a permanent change.

Utah’s longest-publishing daily newspaper says it will cut nearly half of its staff and consolidate breaking news operations with affiliated television and radio operations.

The Deseret News announced the cutbacks Tuesday in a statement to The Associated Press. It said 85 newsroom positions are being eliminated, although some staffers will be enlisted for a transition period.

Five pioneering content initiatives uniquely position the Deseret News to lead positive change in the news industry:
The expansion of news coverage capabilities by integrating resources with KSL. This coordinated newsroom will create the largest news reporter base in the state. It gives the Deseret News more reporters on the ground covering more stories than any other local news source. This allows the paper to continue its in-depth coverage of topics such as high school and college sports, school districts and state and local government. The Deseret News staff will move to the Triad Center, the location of the KSL Broadcast House, to promote greater synergy in coverage and operations.
More in depth coverage from the organization’s strong journalists on relevant issues audiences care most about, including voices the Deseret News audiences has come to trust, such as Dick Harmon, Jay Evensen, Lee Benson and Ann Cannon. It will also include new voices such as Paul Edwards, who recently joined the newspaper’s editorial team.
A new editorial advisory board, a world-class group of renowned thought leaders who will provide Deseret News readers with breadth and depth in opinion and insight through editorial guidance. These leaders are spread across the country, allowing the Deseret News to expand nationally in nature and scope.
The launch of Deseret Connect, a collection of remote experts who will provide high-quality, relevant stories on a regular basis. This content will be qualified, edited and peer reviewed. “We have attracted people from across the nation with impeccable credentials and the highest respect of their peers,” said Gilbert. “We have been very gratified that these people have agreed to contribute and we are excited to see the unique content they will provide for our readers through this innovative approach.”
Digital innovation and a world-class web team that brings specialized skill sets for the newspaper’s online product.

Deseret News CEO Clark Gilbert said today that the newspaper was cutting almost half of its newsroom staff as it deals with a revolution in how consumers get news at the same time advertising revenues have declined.

From: http://twitter.com/aaronfalk (in reverse chronological order):

We invite you now to go back to your work areas.

Those of you who are leaving today, your legacy will live on, Gilbert says.

Everyone will have a meeting today.

It includes every area of content. And management. Joe Cannon and Jim Wall voluntarily stepping down.

this is very difficult, but it’s also responsible.” Gilbert says of redux. 43 percent cuts.

Deseret Connect will take pieces from experts worldwide. They will be edited, Gilbert says.

Editorial advisory board will have first meeting in a month. “They will have a huge impact on our voice.”

We will reinvest in our enterprise teams, Gilbert says.

We have a plan that will not only help us grow, but will make us strong.” More news than ever. KSL merger this fall for breaking news.

For what it’s worth…You are all such accomplished photojournalists and have done great work. There is no doubt that you will continue to do great work in the next chapter of life, whatever it may be. Good luck.

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